Children in Puerto Rico: Results from the 2000 Census By Mark Mather The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau August 2003
KIDS COUNT KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, is a national and state-bystate effort to track the status of children in the United States. By providing policymakers and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being, KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state, and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children. At the national level, the principal activity of the initiative is the publication of the annual KIDS COUNT Data Book, which uses the best available data to measure the educational, social, economic, and physical well-being of children. The Foundation also funds a nationwide network of state-level KIDS COUNT projects that provide a more detailed community-by-community picture of the condition of children. Population Reference Bureau (PRB) Founded in 1929, the Population Reference Bureau is the leader in providing timely and objective information on U.S. and international population trends and their implications. PRB informs policymakers, educators, the media, and concerned citizens working in the public interest around the world through a broad range of activities, including publications, information services, seminars and workshops, and technical support. Our efforts are supported by government contracts, foundation grants, individual and corporate contributions, and the sale of publications. PRB is governed by a Board of Trustees representing diverse community and professional interests. National Council of La Raza (NCLR) This report was prepared for the The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans. NCLR has chosen to work toward this goal through two primary, complementary approaches: capacity-building assistance to support and strengthen Hispanic community-based organizations; and applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy to encourage the adoption of programs and policies that equitably serve Hispanics. NCLR s Puerto Rico field office serves as a liaison between NCLR Washington, DC-based programs and Puerto Rico communitybased organizations on the Island, and works to address the challenges that these organizations face. NCLR also conducts policy-oriented research on the socioeconomic status of families and children and provides a Puerto Rico-focused voice on important federal public policy debates that affect the Island. For more information or for a pdf version of this report, visit the Annie E. Casey Foundation s KIDS COUNT website at www.kidscount.org or PRB s AmeriStat website at www.ameristat.org. 2003 Annie E. Casey Foundation Material may be reproduced free of charge for classroom or noncommercial use, provided that full credit is given to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Children in Puerto Rico: Results from the 2000 Census By Mark Mather The Population Reference Bureau The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau August 2003
Executive Summary This report provides an overview of children 1 in Puerto Rico, based on data from the 2000 U.S. Census. It documents the situation of children in Puerto Rico, how it compares with conditions of children living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and how the characteristics of children in Puerto Rico have changed over time. The census, conducted every 10 years, includes basic demographic information about age, gender, race, and Hispanic origin, as well as more detailed socioeconomic information about poverty, education, family structure, household characteristics, income, place of residence, and other characteristics. Data from the decennial census also provide information for local communities in Puerto Rico that are not available from any other source. 2 The following key points summarize the report s major findings: Children in Puerto Rico Between 1990 and 2000, the number of children in Puerto Rico decreased by 5 percent, from 1,154,527 to 1,092,101, while in the United States, the number of children increased by 14 percent. The number of children living in Puerto Rico today is roughly equal to the number of children living there in 1950. The drop in the percentage of the population under age 18, from 50 percent in 1960 to 29 percent in 2000, is linked to declining fertility rates in Puerto Rico and the migration of Puerto Rican families to the U.S. mainland. In 2000, about 27 percent of families with children in Puerto Rico were headed by a female householder. This represents an increase over the share of female-headed families i
with children in 1990 (22 percent). In the United States, the share of female-headed families increased from 20 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 2000. In 1999, more than half of the children in Puerto Rico 58 percent lived in families with incomes below the poverty line. American Samoa (at 67 percent) was the only U.S. state, territory or commonwealth with a higher child poverty rate than Puerto Rico. Between 1989 and 1999, the child poverty rate in the Commonwealth decreased from 67 percent to 58 percent. In the United States, the child poverty rate dropped from 18 percent to 16 percent during the 1990s. The percentage of 16-to-19-year-olds in Puerto Rico who were high school dropouts (not enrolled in school and not high school graduates) decreased from 22 percent in 1990 to 14 percent in 2000. In the United States, about 10 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds were high school dropouts in 2000. About one-third (34 percent) of adult women ages 16 and over in Puerto Rico were in the labor force in 2000. In the United States, about 58 percent of adult women were in the labor force in 2000. The low rate of female labor force participation in Puerto Rico is associated with a relatively small percentage of children in need of child care (40 percent), compared with the United States (59 percent). However, it is not clear from these census data whether the need for child care is low because women are not entering the labor force, or whether women are not motivated to seek work because there are few child care options available to them. ii
Children in Local Communities The population under age 18 decreased in 50 of Puerto Rico s 78 municipalities during the 1990s. However, there were five municipalities where the number of children increased by 10 percent or more: Toa Alta (30 percent), Florida (26 percent), Gurabo (16 percent), Culebra (12 percent), and Morovis (10 percent). The municipalities with the largest population decreases were Cataño (22 percent), Mayagüez and Ponce (17 percent each), and Arroyo (16 percent). In 1999, the child poverty rate was highest in Vieques (81 percent) and lowest in Trujillo Alto (40 percent). Child poverty rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico s rural communities. Between 1990 and 2000, the share of families with children headed by women increased in 77 of 78 municipalities. The percentage of female-headed families with children was highest in Puerto Rico s urban areas, particularly in San Juan (41 percent) and in nearby Cataño (37 percent). There were seven municipalities where at least one-fifth of teens were high school dropouts in 2000, including Adjuntas and Aguadilla (22 percent each), Luquillo (21 percent), and Ciales, Guánica, Salinas, and Vieques (20 percent each). Dropout rates tended to be higher in rural areas. High school dropout rates declined in every municipality during the 1990s. Municipalities with the biggest declines in high school dropout rates included Arroyo, Florida, Jayuya, Lajas, Patillas, and San Germán. iii
Background on Puerto Rico The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is located in the Caribbean, about 1,000 miles southeast of Miami and 80 miles west of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to the principal island, Puerto Rico has four main offshore islands Vieques and Culebra to the east, and Mona and Desecheo to the west (See Appendix 1 for a map of Puerto Rico). 3 There were 3,808,610 people living in Puerto Rico in 2000. With over 1,100 people per square mile, population density on the Island is similar to that of New Jersey, the most densely populated state. Political Context Puerto Rico has been part of the United States since the end of the Spanish-American War (1898), and became a commonwealth in 1952. Politically, the Island resembles the 50 states. Every four years, the people of Puerto Rico elect a governor, 28 senators, and 51 House members to serve in the local government. Puerto Rico s voters also elect a nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. The United States maintains control over Puerto Rico s military defense, transportation, immigration, foreign trade, and many other areas of governance. Puerto Rican residents contribute to Social Security, serve in the U.S. military, and can be called for military service. They do not pay federal income taxes and do not vote in U.S. presidential elections. Puerto Ricans are eligible to participate in federal government programs, but levels of assistance are typically lower than those provided for people living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. For example, in 1999, the average monthly payment to families through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was $101 in Puerto Rico, compared with $454 in New York the state where Puerto Ricans are most highly concentrated. 4 1
In addition to TANF, there are several other federal programs that provide support for children and families in Puerto Rico, including nutritional assistance programs, Head Start, Job Corps, and school lunch programs. Residents of Puerto Rico are not eligible to receive Supplemental Security Income and, because they do not pay federal income taxes, they cannot receive the Earned Income Tax Credit, an important source of support for many low-income working families in the United States. Economics Fifty years ago, Puerto Rico was a largely rural island where most people made a living as farmers. Since becoming a commonwealth, Puerto Rico has developed closer economic ties with the United States, with increasing revenue from industry, agriculture, and tourism. 5 While U.S. median household income increased by 7 percent between 1989 and 1999 (adjusting for inflation), median household income in Puerto Rico increased by 24 percent. 6 However, income levels in Puerto Rico still lag far behind those in the rest of the United States. In 1999, median household income in Puerto Rico was $14,412. West Virginia s median household income at $29,696 was the lowest among the 50 states but was still twice as high as the median income in Puerto Rico. The median household income in New Jersey at $55,146 was the highest of the 50 states and was almost four times higher than the median income in Puerto Rico. Among Hispanic/Latino households in New Jersey, median household income was $39,609, still more than two and a half times the median income in Puerto Rico. 7 The economic downturn since 2000 is likely to put an additional strain on the Island s limited resources. 8 2
Migration To and From Puerto Rico Since people living in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens, they are free to travel throughout the United States and its territories. In 2000, there were 3.4 million people living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia who identified themselves as Puerto Rican. 9 This means that there were approximately nine Puerto Ricans living in the United States for every 10 people living in Puerto Rico. Of the Puerto Ricans living in the United States, nearly three-fourths (74 percent) lived in six states: New York, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. There are over 1 million Puerto Ricans living in New York state alone. 10 High unemployment rates in Puerto Rico, as well as greater job opportunities in the United States, have prompted more people to move to the mainland in recent years. 11 The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that between 2000 and 2001, there was negative net migration in Puerto Rico. 12 In other words, the number of people leaving the Island exceeded the number of new arrivals. While many people have moved from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland, there is also a growing number of people moving to Puerto Rico from elsewhere in the Caribbean especially the Dominican Republic. In 2000, there were 109,581 foreign-born residents in Puerto Rico, accounting for 3 percent of the total population. Over half of the foreign-born population came to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic. 13 Since some Dominicans in Puerto Rico are undocumented immigrants who are difficult to count in the census their actual numbers could be higher. 14 Limitations of Census Data in Puerto Rico Estimates from the 2000 Census may differ from estimates based on other surveys conducted in Puerto Rico. There are several possible reasons for this. First, the way that the 3
census measures high school dropout rates, poverty, and other variables may differ from the way these concepts are measured in other surveys. For example, in this report, high school dropouts are defined as teens ages 16 to 19 who are not enrolled in school and are not high school graduates. These status estimates of high school dropouts may differ from event estimates based on the number of people who drop out of high school in a given year. The estimated percentage of teens who are high school dropouts (14 percent) is also substantially lower than the percentage of people age 25 and over who did not graduate from high school (40 percent) in Puerto Rico. 15 This dramatic difference reflects increases in educational attainment in Puerto Rico during the past several decades. Second, estimates could differ because they are based on data collected at different periods. For example, child poverty rates in this report are based on family income received during 1999. However, the U.S. economic downturn since 2000 has resulted in increases in child poverty rates in many states and local areas. Third, differences could reflect sampling error associated with different sample sizes. The census long form was sent to approximately one out of every six residents of Puerto Rico, yielding a sample of approximately 17 percent of the Island s population. Other surveys, based on smaller samples, would produce estimates with more potential for measurement error. 16 Nonmeasurement errors, such as problems in data collection or processing, could also result in differences between sources. Fourth, there are always challenges in conducting a complete and accurate census, and these challenges are magnified in Puerto Rico. High levels of migration between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico, cultural differences in defining household structure, and the relatively large underground economy in Puerto Rico pose potential problems for census enumerators. 17 4
Moreover, undocumented workers from the Dominican Republic may be particularly difficult to count because of their illegal status. 18 The 2000 Census response rate was lower in Puerto Rico (53 percent) than the return rates in any state or the District of Columbia. In the United States as a whole, the return rate was 67 percent. 19 Although the Census Bureau has not published undercount rates for Puerto Rico, recent estimates from Data on Race and Ethnicity in Puerto Rico The 2000 Census was the first census in Puerto Rico since 1950 to include questions about race or ethnicity. By including the same questions in the Puerto Rico census as those included in the state questionnaires, the Census Bureau was able to speed up the processing and dissemination of data for Puerto Rico. However, many groups in Puerto Rico have argued that the Census Bureau s racial and ethnic categories as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget are not meaningful in the Puerto Rico context. For people in Puerto Rico, as well as Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States, race is a flexible concept. This is evident in a comparison of race responses between people living in Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans living in the United States. Although the groups share the same heritage, they have very different ideas about racial identity. About 81 percent of people in Puerto Rico identified themselves as white in the 2000 Census, but Puerto Ricans residing in the United States were almost equally likely to say they were white (46 percent) as some other race (47 percent). Source: Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, For Millions of Latinos, Race is a Flexible Concept, The Los Angeles Times, March 11, 2003. For more information: See Jorge Duany, The Puerto Rican Nation on the Move: Identities in the Island and the United States (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2002). the Accuracy and Coverage Evaluation survey indicate that there was a net undercount of about 250,000 Hispanics/Latinos in the United States as a whole. 20 Readers should keep in mind that the decennial census is one of many tools that can be used to investigate the status of children in Puerto Rico. Although the picture provided by the census data is incomplete, it provides a useful starting point to look at several different dimensions of child well-being. In addition, the shortcomings in the census may provide incentive to collect additional data on children and families to fill in the gaps and provide a better understanding of children s lives. 5
Children in Puerto Rico This section provides an overview of demographic, social, and economic trends for children in Puerto Rico, based primarily on data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in September 2002. Estimates for Puerto Rico are compared with estimates for neighboring territories and with U.S. averages that combine data for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico data for 1990 are based on published census reports, available online at www.census.gov/population/www/proas/pr_cen.html. For information about how the census was conducted in Puerto Rico and where to find additional census data for the Commonwealth, see Appendix 2. General Trends The population living in Puerto Rico has increased during each decade since the first U.S. census was conducted in 1899 (see Table 1). In 1899, there were nearly 1 million people living in Puerto Rico. By 1950 the population had more than doubled, reaching 2.2 million. During the past 30 years, increased migration from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland, combined with a decrease in fertility levels, has slowed population growth in the Commonwealth. Between 1970 and 1980, there was an 18 percent increase in the Commonwealth s population, followed by a 10 percent increase during the 1980s and only an 8 percent increase during the 1990s, bringing the total population to 3.8 million. In the United States as a whole, there was a 13 percent increase in the population during the 1990s. 6
Table 1 Total Population and the Population Under Age 18 in Puerto Rico, 1899-2000 Population under age 18 Year Total population Number Percent 1899 953,243 474,191 50% 1910 1,118,012 547,156 49% 1920 1,299,809 638,998 49% 1930 1,543,913 756,616 49% 1940 1,869,255 877,638 47% 1950 2,210,703 1,084,431 49% 1960 2,349,544 1,163,931 50% 1970 2,712,033 1,174,674 43% 1980 3,196,520 1,220,999 38% 1990 3,522,037 1,154,527 33% 2000 3,808,610 1,092,101 29% Note: The data for 1899 were collected as of November 10, the data for 1910 were collected as of April 15, and the data for 1920 were collected as of January 1. For the other years, the data reflect the population on April 1. The number of children in 1899 was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 1950 Census Characteristics of the Population, Territories and Possessions; 1960 Census General Population Characteristics for Puerto Rico; 1970 Census General Population Characteristics for Puerto Rico; 1980 Census General Population Characteristics for Puerto Rico; 1990 Census General Population Characteristics for Puerto Rico; and 2000 Census Population and Housing Profile for Puerto Rico. The population under age 18 increased from less than 500,000 at the turn of the 20th century to 1.1 million in 1950. The child population increased slightly each decade during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, but has decreased since then, from 1.2 million in 1980 to 1.1 million in 2000. Therefore, the number of children living in Puerto Rico today is roughly equal to the number of children living there in 1950. Between 1990 and 2000, the number of children in Puerto Rico decreased by 5 percent, compared with a 14 percent increase in the United States. Despite the recent drop in the population under age 18, the number of children in Puerto Rico has more than doubled during the past century. The proportion of children in the population has also declined in recent decades. Between 1899 and 1960, the share of children in the population hovered around 50 percent. But since then, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of children, from 43 percent of the 7
population in 1970 to 29 percent in 2000. This is only slightly higher than the percentage of children in the United States (26 percent) and is lower than the share of children in the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands (32 percent). The long-term decline in the proportion of children in Puerto Rico s population does not reflect a significant decrease in the number of children but rather an increase in the number of adults relative to the child population. The decline in the proportion of the population under age 18 has been driven by two main factors. First, there has been a long-term decline in fertility rates in Puerto Rico. In 1950, the fertility rate in Puerto Rico was 5.2 births per woman. By 1970, it had fallen to 3.2 births per woman, and by 2000 it had dropped to 1.9 births per woman. 21 The 2000 fertility rate in Puerto Rico was slightly lower than the rate in the United States as a whole (2.1 births per woman) and was substantially lower than the rate for U.S. women of Puerto Rican descent (2.6 births per woman). 22 The decline in fertility rates in Puerto Rico during the 1950s and 1960s has been linked to increasing levels of female sterilization during those decades. 23 Other factors, including a rising age at marriage and an increase in the use of oral contraceptives, have contributed to the decline in recent years, 24 but sterilization continues to play a key role. In fact, the estimated percentage of married women in Puerto Rico who have been sterilized 46 percent is higher than that of any other country for which we have data. 25 Second, many young Puerto Ricans and their families have moved to the U.S. mainland in search of greater job opportunities and higher wages. 26 Between 1995 and 2000, the net movement of people age 5 and over from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland exceeded 100,000 migrants. 27 This relatively high level of out-migration could contribute to the decline in the number of children in Puerto Rico in two ways through the migration of children who come to 8
the U.S. mainland with their parents and through the out-migration of people of reproductive age, which reduces the number of potential births that occur on the Island. Female-Headed Families Family structure has important implications for children. Children growing up in singleparent families typically do not have access to the economic or human resources available to children growing up in two-parent families. 28 In the United States, the number of single-parent families has risen dramatically over the past three decades, causing considerable concern among policymakers and the public. While local social and cultural norms may influence the situation for children living in single-parent families (for example, they may benefit from extended family support), children in Puerto Rico growing up in single-parent families are still at an economic disadvantage relative to children growing up in families with both parents present in the household. About 44 percent of married-couple families with children were living in poverty in 1999, while among female-headed families with children, 71 percent were living in poverty. In the United States, about 7 percent of married-couple families with children and 34 percent of female-headed families with children were living in poverty in 1999. In 2000, about 27 percent of families with children in Puerto Rico were headed by a female householder (see Table 2). 29 This represents an increase over the share of female-headed families with children in 1990 (22 percent) and is higher than the U.S. average. In the United States, the share of female-headed families increased from 20 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 2000. The proportion of female-headed families increased in 48 of the 50 states during the 1990s (Colorado and Utah were the exceptions). In the U.S. Virgin Islands, about 46 percent of 9
families with children were headed by a female householder in 2000, up from 37 percent in 1990. These data suggest that the increase in female-headed households in Puerto Rico followed a trend seen throughout the United States. Table 2 Families With Own Children in Puerto Rico, 1990 and 2000 1990 2000 Percent change in number of Segment of the Population Number Percent Number Percent families Total families with own children 487,058 100% 486,409 100% 0% Married-couple households 363,989 75% 337,190 69% -7% Female-headed households 105,085 22% 131,584 27% 25% Note: Own children include never-married children under age 18 who are sons or daughters of the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 Census Social and Economic Characteristics for Puerto Rico and 2000 Census Population and Housing Profile for Puerto Rico. Poverty In 1999, more than half of the children in Puerto Rico 58 percent lived in families with incomes below the poverty line. Puerto Rico s child poverty rate was over three times higher than the child poverty rate in the United States (16 percent). American Samoa at 67 percent was the only U.S. state, territory or commonwealth with a higher child poverty rate than Puerto Rico in 1999. 30 Although poverty levels in Puerto Rico are still quite high, they declined significantly during the 1990s a period of unprecedented economic growth in the United States. Between 1989 and 1999, the number of children in Puerto Rico living in families with incomes below the poverty line decreased by 18 percent, from 761,789 to 626,521 (see Table 3). The percentage of children living in poor families also decreased, from 67 percent in 1989 to 58 percent in 1999. In the United States, the child poverty rate dropped from 18 percent to 16 percent during the 1990s. 10
The number of families living below the poverty line also declined, from 492,025 in 1989 to 450,254 in 1999. However, the number of female-headed families living in poverty increased by 12 percent, from 142,737 in 1989 to 159,205 in 1999. In 1999, the median income for femaleheaded families with children in Puerto Rico was $6,888, compared with $20,284 in the United States. 31 Table 3 Children and Families Below the Poverty Line in Puerto Rico, 1989 and 1999 1989 1999 Segment of the Population Number below poverty line Percent below poverty line Number below poverty line Percent below poverty line Percent change in number below poverty line Related children under age 18 761,789 67% 626,521 58% -18% Under age 5 203,538 68% 167,510 58% -18% Ages 5 to 17 558,251 66% 459,011 59% -18% Families 492,025 55% 450,254 45% -8% With related children under age 18 339,312 62% 297,649 53% -12% Female-headed families 142,737 70% 159,205 61% 12% With related children under age 18 101,393 78% 113,942 71% 12% Note: Poverty thresholds vary by family size and composition. In 1999, the poverty threshold for a family of two adults and two children was $16,895. Poverty status is not determined for people in military barracks or institutional quarters, or for unrelated individuals under age 15. Related children include people under age 18 related to the householder (excluding spouses). Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 Census Social and Economic Characteristics for Puerto Rico and 2000 Census Population and Housing Profile for Puerto Rico. High School Dropouts During the past 50 years, Puerto Rico experienced a relatively rapid shift from smallscale agricultural production to an industrial and service-oriented economy. This transformation has led to a growing demand for educated workers with high school, college, and postgraduate degrees. In Puerto Rico, as in the United States, a high school diploma is a critical prerequisite for many entry-level jobs as well as for higher education. 32 However, many young adults in 11
Puerto Rico do not graduate from high school. In 2000, about 14 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds in Puerto Rico were high school dropouts (not enrolled in school and not high school graduates). The high school dropout rate in Puerto Rico was relatively high compared with most states exceeded only by Arizona (15 percent) and Nevada (16 percent). In the United States as a whole, about 10 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds were high school dropouts in 2000. 33 Although the dropout rate in Puerto Rico remains relatively high, there has been considerable improvement in this measure since 1990, when 22 percent of 16-to-19-year-olds were not enrolled in school and not high school graduates. The Need for Child Care In this report, the need for child care is measured as the percentage of children under age 6 living in families where all of the parents in the household reported being in the labor force during the week before the survey. 34 For children living in single-parent families, this means that the resident parent was in the labor force; for children living in married-couple families, this means that both parents were in the labor force. Based on this definition, the need for child care is lower in Puerto Rico than it is in the United States. However, it is not clear from these census data whether the need for child care is low because women are not entering the labor force or whether women are not motivated to seek work because there are so few child care options available to them. In addition, it is likely that some women who are not in the labor force are working in the informal sector, providing domestic services or involved in other work outside of the formal labor force. Puerto Rico has a relatively large informal or underground economy, consisting mainly of self-employed 12
workers especially women. 35 The informal sector includes many domestic services (cooking, cleaning, sewing) as well as more formal services, such as catering and child care services. In Puerto Rico, 40 percent of children under age 6 lived in families where all of the resident parents were in the labor force in 2000, compared with 59 percent in the United States as a whole, and 69 percent in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The relatively low percentage of children in need of child care is associated with the low percentage of women who are in the labor force. In Puerto Rico, about one-third (34 percent) of women ages 16 and over were in the labor force in 2000, compared with 58 percent in the United States as a whole. 36 In Puerto Rico, as elsewhere, it is common for grandparents to provide child care while parents are working, and in many households, grandparents are the primary caregivers for young children. For the 2000 Census, the U.S. Census Bureau added a new question to measure the extent to which grandparents provided care to their grandchildren. In Puerto Rico, there were 133,881 grandparents who lived with their grandchildren in 2000, and about 53 percent reported that they were responsible for most of the basic needs of one or more of their co-resident grandchildren. This shows the importance of extended family members particularly grandparents as caregivers in the Commonwealth. In the United States, only 42 percent of grandparents who lived with their grandchildren reported being responsible for their care. 13
Children in Local Communities Data from the decennial census provide detailed information for local communities in Puerto Rico that are not available from any other source. This section of the report takes an indepth look at the characteristics of children and families living in the 78 municipalities that make up the Commonwealth. The municipalities in Puerto Rico are functioning governmental units, equivalent to counties in the mainland United States. The data show wide variations in child outcomes across these jurisdictions. (See Appendices 3 through 7 for tables that summarize the data for different municipalities.) The paper also summarizes information for Puerto Rico s rural, suburban, and central city areas, in order to help explain some of the local-level variation. 37 General Trends In Puerto Rico, the population under age 18 decreased by 5 percent during the 1990s, but trends varied in local areas. There were five municipalities where the number of children increased by 10 percent or more: Toa Alta (30 percent increase in the number of children since 1990), Florida (26 percent), Gurabo (16 percent), Culebra (12 percent), and Morovis (10 percent) (see Map 1). Fifty of the 78 municipalities experienced a decline in the population under age 18 during the 1990s. Those with the largest population decreases were Cataño (22 percent), Mayagüez and Ponce (17 percent each), and Arroyo (16 percent). Arroyo is one of several municipalities in the southeastern corner of the island where the population under age 18 decreased by 10 percent or more during the 1990s. There is also variation in the proportion of the population under age 18 (see Appendix 3). The percentage of children was highest in rural and suburban areas (30 percent each) and lowest in central cities (26 percent). At the municipality level, the share of children was lowest in 14
Hormigueros and Mayagüez on the western side of the island (24 percent each), and San Juan in the north (25 percent). The percentage of children was highest in Barranquitas, Loíza, Morovis, and Peñuelas (35 percent each). Female-Headed Families In 2000, about 27 percent of families with children in Puerto Rico were headed by a female householder. However, there was substantial variation in this measure based on a family s residence in urban versus rural areas. Over a third (34 percent) of families in central cities were headed by a female householder, compared with 23 percent in suburban areas and only 16 percent in rural areas. 15
Locally, the percentage of families with children that were headed by a female householder was highest in San Juan (41 percent) and in nearby Cataño (37 percent) (see Map 2). There were seven other municipalities where the percentage was 30 percent or more, including Loíza (33 percent), Carolina and Vieques (32 percent each), Fajardo and Ponce (31 percent each), and Arroyo, Mayagüez, and Salinas (30 percent each). Most of these municipalities are located in Puerto Rico s more densely populated urban areas and suburbs. The percentage of female-headed households was lowest in Orocovis (16 percent), Aguada (17 percent), Moca, Naranjito, and Villalba (18 percent each), and Adjuntas and Lares (19 percent each). Between 1990 and 2000, the share of families with children headed by women increased in 77 out of 78 municipalities. The largest increase was in Comerío (84 percent), Morovis (71 16
percent), and Barceloneta and Guayanilla (56 percent each). These are areas that had relatively few female-headed households in 1990 but experienced rapid increases during the past ten years. Hormigueros was the only municipality where the percentage decreased, from 24 percent in 1990 to 22 percent in 2000. Guánica and Gurabo each had relatively small increases in female-headed households during the 1990s (6 percent each). Poverty In Puerto Rico as a whole, 58 percent of children were living in poverty in 1999. However, local child poverty rates varied considerably (see Map 3). Poverty rates tended to be highest in Puerto Rico s rural areas and lowest in central cities. Overall, 70 percent of children in rural areas were living in poverty in 1999, compared with 60 percent in suburban areas and 53 percent in central city areas. The lack of jobs in rural areas puts families at an economic disadvantage compared to their counterparts living in the cities and suburbs. In 2000, one in four adults in rural areas (25 percent) was unemployed, while the unemployment rates in the suburbs (21 percent) and central cities (16 percent) were considerably lower. 38 At the municipality level, Vieques had the highest child poverty rate (81 percent), followed by Maricao (77 percent), Las Marías (76 percent), and Adjuntas, Guánica, and Orocovis (75 percent each). These municipalities are located in less developed, rural areas where there are fewer well-paying jobs. Trujillo Alto had the lowest child poverty rate in 1999 (40 percent), followed by Guaynabo (42 percent), Ceiba (43 percent), Bayamón and Toa Alta (44 percent each), and Carolina (45 percent). In general, child poverty rates were lowest in the suburbs in the San Juan metropolitan area. However, even the lowest child poverty rates in Puerto Rico are significantly higher than the U.S. average (16 percent). 17
Between 1989 and 1999, child poverty rates decreased in every municipality in Puerto Rico. Child poverty rates decreased the most in areas with relatively high rates of population growth. For example, Gurabo and Toa Alta were among the fastest growing municipalities during the 1990s, and experienced the largest decreases in child poverty rates 28 percent and 24 percent respectively. The island of Vieques, with the highest child poverty rate, had the smallest drop in child poverty a 2 percent decrease. Other municipalities with only modest decreases in child poverty included Ciales (4 percent), Las Marías, Luquillo, and Mayagüez (6 percent each), and Ponce, Sabana Grande, and San Juan (7 percent each). 18
High School Dropouts Dropout rates in 2000 also varied in Puerto Rico s local areas (see Map 4). There were seven municipalities where at least one-fifth of teens were high school dropouts in 2000, including Adjuntas and Aguadilla (22 percent each), Luquillo (21 percent), and Ciales, Guánica, Salinas, and Vieques (20 percent each). Several other municipalities had dropout rates that were relatively low, especially Lajas (7 percent) and Arroyo (8 percent). Dropout rates were highest in Puerto Rico s rural communities (16 percent) and lowest in central city areas (12 percent). It is notable that dropout rates decreased in every municipality during the 1990s. Municipalities with substantial decreases in the dropout rate included Lajas (70 percent), Florida (68 percent), Arroyo (64 percent), Jayuya and Patillas (62 percent each), and San Germán (60 19
percent). There were only two municipalities Aguas Buenas and Fajardo where dropout rates declined by less than 10 percent during the 1990s. The Need for Child Care In 2000, the need for child care was highest in Carolina, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hormigueros, Quebradillas, Toa Alta, and Trujillo Alto, where just under 50 percent of children lived in families with all parents in the labor force (see Map 5). In contrast, fewer than one in four children in Comerío and Orocovis lived in families with all parents in the labor force in 2000. In Puerto Rico as a whole, 44 percent of young children living in central cities were in need of child care, compared with 38 percent of children in suburbs and 33 percent in rural areas. 20
Local variation in the need for child care is also closely linked to women s labor force participation rates. Women ages 16 and over had the highest participation rates in Guaynabo and Trujillo Alto (40 percent each). In Orocovis and Comerío, fewer than one in four women were counted as being in the labor force in 2000. 39 21
Conclusion Puerto Rico has been described as an Island Paradox because of its unique political and economic situation as a semi-autonomous commonwealth of the United States. 40 Politically, the people of Puerto Rico enjoy many of the same entitlements as residents in the 50 states, including the right to participate in federal programs and to elect local officials. But economically, Puerto Rico lags far behind the United States, with a median household income less than half that of West Virginia the poorest state. There is also a mixed picture regarding the status of children in Puerto Rico. The good news is that conditions for children have improved for some measures of child well-being. Between 1990 and 2000, Puerto Rico s child poverty and high school dropout rates declined significantly. There has also been a substantial, long-term decline in the proportion of children in Puerto Rico s population, which could provide some relief for agencies working to improve child welfare. Despite these positive developments, children in Puerto Rico are still at a serious disadvantage compared with children living in the United States. The child poverty rate is almost four times higher in Puerto Rico than it is in the states. One out of every seven teens ages 16 to 19 does not receive a high school diploma. Many of these young adults join the ranks of the unemployed particularly in Puerto Rico s rural areas where there are fewer job opportunities. In addition, there has been a widespread increase in the proportion of female-headed households in Puerto Rico, putting more children at risk of negative social and economic outcomes. The census data shown in this report provide an overview of some of the key challenges facing children in Puerto Rico. However, there are several areas where greater effort or more attention is needed: 22
Data Collection Data from the decennial census are collected every 10 years. However, data on children need to be collected annually in order to effectively monitor child outcomes. This is especially important given the recent economic downturn and its potential impact on children and families. In the United States, the Current Population Survey is often used to track annual changes in child well being at the state level, but there is currently no equivalent survey conducted in Puerto Rico. The American Community Survey if fully funded by Congress will provide annual estimates for Puerto Rico s local areas and include data similar to those available from the decennial census. For more information about this program, visit the Census Bureau s website at www.census.gov/acs/www/. Local Surveys Many important indicators of child welfare (e.g., child health status) are not available from the decennial census, and other measures (e.g., child care) can only be measured indirectly with census data. Therefore, it is important to supplement these census data with information collected through local surveys and from administrative sources. A more in-depth analysis of each of the child indicators included in this report would be useful in order to highlight specific policies and programs that could benefit children and families. Comparative Studies Finally, Puerto Rican families living in the United States tend to have substantially higher incomes than families living in Puerto Rico, and it would be useful to compare the status of children in these different contexts. 23
24
Appendix 2: The 2000 Census in Puerto Rico The 2000 Census is the most comprehensive and accurate source of data for small areas in the United States and Puerto Rico. Conducted every 10 years, the census includes a short form and a long form. The census short form is mailed to every household identified by the Census Bureau. It contains basic population and housing questions, including age, gender, race, Hispanic origin, and relationship to householder. In the United States, the census long form is mailed to approximately one in six households. It contains all of the basic demographic questions from the census short form, plus questions on education, family structure, household characteristics, income, place of residence, and other characteristics. In Puerto Rico, the basic content of the 2000 Census short form and long form questionnaires matched those that were used in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In the census, people are enumerated based on usual place of residence. Therefore, foreign travelers and others who do not have their usual residence in Puerto Rico are excluded from this analysis. People in the U.S. Armed Forces and their families assigned to a Navy or Coast Guard vessel with a U.S. home port were given the opportunity to report an onshore residence where they usually stayed. Those who did not report a usual place of residence onshore were counted at their vessel s home port. 41 In 2000, there were 4,669 people ages 16 and over in Puerto Rico who reported being in the Armed Forces. 42 The data shown in this report are based primarily on 2000 Census long form data released in September 2002. Census 2000 data tables for Puerto Rico are available in English on the Census Bureau s American FactFinder website at http://factfinder.census.gov. Tables are available in Spanish at http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/basicfactsservlet?_is=true&_lang=es. 25
For more information census data for Puerto Rico, see Introduction to Census 2000 Data Products Puerto Rico on the Census Bureau s website (in English) at www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/mso01ipre.pdf or in Spanish at http://landview.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/mso01ipr.pdf. Copies of the 2000 Census questionnaires that were used in Puerto Rico in both English and Spanish are available on the Census Bureau s website at www.census.gov/dmd/www/2000quest.html#pacific. 26
Appendix 3 Total Population and the Population Under Age 18 in Puerto Rico, by Municipality, 2000 Area Total population Population under age 18 Percent under age 18 Area Total population Population under age 18 Percent under age 18 Puerto Rico 3,808,610 1,092,101 29% Puerto Rico 3,808,610 1,092,101 29% Adjuntas 19,143 6,174 32% Juncos 36,452 10,750 29% Aguada 42,042 12,529 30% Lajas 26,261 7,196 27% Aguadilla 64,685 17,759 27% Lares 34,415 10,531 31% Aguas Buenas 29,032 8,521 29% Las Marías 11,061 3,343 30% Aibonito 26,493 8,088 31% Las Piedras 34,485 10,031 29% Añasco 28,348 8,025 28% Loíza 32,537 11,441 35% Arecibo 100,131 26,617 27% Luquillo 19,817 5,779 29% Arroyo 19,117 6,028 32% Manatí 45,409 13,420 30% Barceloneta 22,322 6,625 30% Maricao 6,449 2,080 32% Barranquitas 28,909 10,216 35% Maunabo 12,741 3,854 30% Bayamón 224,044 59,999 27% Mayagüez 98,434 23,664 24% Cabo Rojo 46,911 12,018 26% Moca 39,697 12,005 30% Caguas 140,502 39,103 28% Morovis 29,965 10,401 35% Camuy 35,244 10,327 29% Naguabo 23,753 6,911 29% Canóvanas 43,335 13,635 31% Naranjito 29,709 9,386 32% Carolina 186,076 48,934 26% Orocovis 23,844 8,165 34% Cataño 30,071 9,615 32% Patillas 20,152 6,098 30% Cayey 47,370 13,496 28% Peñuelas 26,719 9,237 35% Ceiba 18,004 5,234 29% Ponce 186,475 54,777 29% Ciales 19,811 6,593 33% Quebradillas 25,450 7,643 30% Cidra 42,753 13,107 31% Rincón 14,767 3,872 26% Coamo 37,597 12,056 32% Río Grande 52,362 15,617 30% Comerío 20,002 6,283 31% Sabana Grande 25,935 7,400 29% Corozal 36,867 11,742 32% Salinas 31,113 9,963 32% Culebra 1,868 517 28% San Germán 37,105 9,746 26% Dorado 34,017 9,835 29% San Juan 434,374 107,665 25% Fajardo 40,712 11,789 29% San Lorenzo 40,997 12,224 30% Florida 12,367 3,794 31% San Sebastián 44,204 12,309 28% Guánica 21,888 6,530 30% Santa Isabel 21,665 7,213 33% Guayama 44,301 13,490 30% Toa Alta 63,929 20,903 33% Guayanilla 23,072 6,924 30% Toa Baja 94,085 27,447 29% Guaynabo 100,053 26,302 26% Trujillo Alto 75,728 22,170 29% Gurabo 36,743 10,862 30% Utuado 35,336 10,860 31% Hatillo 38,925 11,389 29% Vega Alta 37,910 11,601 31% Hormigueros 16,614 3,931 24% Vega Baja 61,929 18,830 30% Humacao 59,035 16,828 29% Vieques 9,106 2,704 30% Isabela 44,444 12,356 28% Villalba 27,913 9,629 34% Jayuya 17,318 5,925 34% Yabucoa 39,246 11,735 30% Juana Díaz 50,531 16,512 33% Yauco 46,384 13,793 30% Source: PRB analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, P12. Sex by Age, Census 2000 Summary File 1. 27
Appendix 4 Female-Headed Households with Own Children in Puerto Rico, by Municipality, 2000 Area Family households with own children Femaleheaded households with own children Percent Area Family households with own children Femaleheaded households with own children Percent Puerto Rico 486,409 131,584 27% Puerto Rico 486,409 131,584 27% Adjuntas 2,656 511 19% Juncos 4,905 1,263 26% Aguada 6,077 1,049 17% Lajas 3,121 760 24% Aguadilla 8,122 2,233 27% Lares 4,667 883 19% Aguas Buenas 3,873 818 21% Las Marías 1,461 322 22% Aibonito 3,640 833 23% Las Piedras 4,707 1,110 24% Añasco 3,615 840 23% Loíza 4,616 1,518 33% Arecibo 11,985 3,085 26% Luquillo 2,428 629 26% Arroyo 2,535 767 30% Manatí 5,950 1,707 29% Barceloneta 2,899 792 27% Maricao 870 175 20% Barranquitas 4,470 917 21% Maunabo 1,575 421 27% Bayamón 27,716 7,959 29% Mayagüez 10,421 3,141 30% Cabo Rojo 5,638 1,307 23% Moca 5,755 1,043 18% Caguas 18,075 5,183 29% Morovis 4,335 889 21% Camuy 4,886 959 20% Naguabo 2,987 797 27% Canóvanas 5,607 1,466 26% Naranjito 4,130 760 18% Carolina 22,332 7,090 32% Orocovis 3,474 554 16% Cataño 3,975 1,454 37% Patillas 2,702 624 23% Cayey 6,216 1,570 25% Peñuelas 3,671 746 20% Ceiba 2,405 497 21% Ponce 22,776 7,140 31% Ciales 2,745 536 20% Quebradillas 3,528 692 20% Cidra 6,170 1,254 20% Rincón 1,799 387 22% Coamo 5,071 1,190 23% Río Grande 6,746 1,607 24% Comerío 2,822 655 23% Sabana Grande 3,265 841 26% Corozal 5,223 1,031 20% Salinas 4,105 1,244 30% Culebra 221 57 26% San Germán 4,420 1,154 26% Dorado 4,370 1,054 24% San Juan 49,074 20,089 41% Fajardo 5,066 1,549 31% San Lorenzo 5,506 1,250 23% Florida 1,669 422 25% San Sebastián 5,723 1,184 21% Guánica 2,634 730 28% Santa Isabel 2,813 806 29% Guayama 5,896 1,704 29% Toa Alta 9,911 2,044 21% Guayanilla 2,950 768 26% Toa Baja 12,280 3,444 28% Guaynabo 12,608 3,427 27% Trujillo Alto 10,487 2,693 26% Gurabo 4,996 1,056 21% Utuado 4,529 1,009 22% Hatillo 5,290 1,168 22% Vega Alta 4,972 1,347 27% Hormigueros 1,922 424 22% Vega Baja 8,047 2,089 26% Humacao 7,306 1,972 27% Vieques 1,071 342 32% Isabela 5,781 1,279 22% Villalba 3,780 694 18% Jayuya 2,443 503 21% Yabucoa 5,121 1,095 21% Juana Díaz 6,612 1,524 23% Yauco 6,164 1,458 24% Source: PRB analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, P34. Family Type by Presence and Age of Own Children, Census 2000 Summary File 1. 28